MBS Intelligence
Consumer Products
Please Touch: Dyson Demo and the experiential concept space
I have often wondered what certain customers in their chauffeur-driven Bentleys think when they are dropped outside the grand doors of Selfridges in Oxford Street to spend the day shopping and lunching - only because...
The NutriBullet generation: in conversation with Colin Sapire
I grew up on Churchill Street, in a suburb of a South African industrial city by the sea called Port Elizabeth. Up the road from me lived Stanley Bergman, now Chairman & CEO of Henry Schein, a Fortune 500 company...
The Dee family: a transatlantic confectionary dynasty
I was recently checking up on one of my favourite CEOs/founders, Melvin Gordon, who headed up Tootsie Roll Industries, and was saddened to discover he passed away earlier this year at the age of 95. Melvin was the...
Sustainable business: more than a buzzword?
I was extremely pleased to read this week that Unilever has achieved zero waste to landfill across its European operations, and is well on the way to reaching its global target. Unilever has always been at the...
Halfords and the British cycling revolution
The last couple of weeks have seen the so-called British cycling boom continue apace. Two weeks ago London was brought to a standstill not just by the Tube strike but also by the London to Surrey Classic and, the week...
Upheaval in the beauty market
The last few weeks have seen some serious upheaval in the world of consumer goods. Three weeks ago the news broke that P&G had sold 43 of its beauty brands to French rival Coty for over US$12bn. Although it had been...
KidZania: great for parents, even better for children
Last week I went to the opening of a new theme park for children, KidZania, and I was completely blown away. Based around the motto “Get ready for a better world,” KidZania is basically a theme park that allows...
The LEGO brand, and the power of free advertising
LEGO has been granted a trademark for its human-like figures, after a European court decided that they constitute a ‘protected shape’. Meanwhile the company also garnered a lot of press attention – and stock...
The Kraft Heinz Company: why it could succeed
Barely had the news of 3G Capital's interest in Kraft Foods settled in on Wednesday before the deal was suddenly confirmed and the newly acquired business would merge with Heinz. Both are household names in the US, and...
Latest Consumer Products News
Südzucker reports drop in earnings The European sugar producer has reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast of between €500m and €600m, down from the €950m it generated in the year to the end of February. The company has said its results have been hurt by high production costs. Read more.
Premier Foods full-year results beat expectations The owner of Mr Kipling and Oxo Cubes has said that sales and profit for the full year have come in ahead of expectations. Adjusted pre-tax profit was up 15.1% to £157.9m in the year to the end of March, with headline revenue reaching £1.1bn. Read more.
Cosmetics giant Shiseido reports losses for first quarter The business has reported small losses of 3.3 billion yen (€19.6m) due to restructuring costs, but has maintained its growth forecasts for 2024. Sales in the period rose 3.9% to 249.5 billion yen (nearly €1.5bn). Read more.
Net losses widen at beauty giant Natura The Brazilian beauty group, which owns the Avon brand, has posted a net loss of $181.3m in the first quarter. The group is undergoing a process of spinning out its assets, including the Aesop and The Body Shop businesses. Read more.
Imperial Brands releases half-year results The tobacco giant has said that strong pricing has offset volume declines in the six months to the end of March 2024, and has reiterated its full-year guidance. Revenue reached £15.1bn in the period, down 2.3% from last year. Read more.
Pre-tax profit up at drinks group Britvic Britvic, which owns the 7UP brand among other soft drinks, has said that pre-tax profit has improved 13% to £78.2m in the six months to the end of March, boosted by an 11.2% increase in revenue. Read more.
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